[Cathepsin D activity in gastric cancer]. / Izuchenie aktivnosti katepsina D pri rake zheludka.

The levels of activity of cathepsin D were compared in neoplastic and normal gastric mucosa in 42 patients, aged 39-78, at different stages of the disease. A relationship was established between cathepsin D activity and main clinico-morphological characteristics of stomach tumor: cathepsin D activity was found to increase with decreasing differentiation and increasing depth of invasion and metastatic spreading of tumor tissue. Possible involvement of proteolytic enzymes and, in particular, an aspartyl proteinase--cathepsin D--in the mechanisms of invasion and metastatic spreading of neoplasms is discussed.

[Prognostic significance of determining cathepsin B activity in malignant ovarian tumors]. / Prognosticheskoe znachenie opredeleniia aktivnosti katepsina B v zlokachestvennykh opukholiakh iachnikov.

Malignant tumors derived from 60 patients with primary ovarian cancer were assayed for lysosomal cysteine proteinases--cathepsins B and L (Cat B, Cat L) and lysosomal aspartyl proteinase--cathepsin D (Cat D) as compared with benign ovarian tumors in controls. Malignant ovarian tumors exhibited significantly increased Cat B and Cat L activity (18.5- and 9-fold, respectively, p < 0.001) and moderately increased Cat D activity (1.5-fold, p < 0.01) as compared with those of benign tumors. The data obtained indicate that malignant ovarian tumors with a high Cat B activity (higher than the critical level of 723.5 +/- 100.0 Opmol/min. mg protein) proved to be more malignant in nature (low cell differentiated tumors predominated with early metastases spreading and relapses). Retrospective analysis of the disease development in 38 patients with ovarian tumors revealed that patients with early relapses (within the first year after surgery) demonstrated higher Cat B activity in tumors as compared with both the critical level and with that of patients without relapses; in the latter group the increase was found to be 2.4-fold (p < 0.01). The rate of CatB activity increases proved to be 56% and 8% in patients with and without relapses, respectively. Therefore, evaluation of the critical level of CatB activity in patients with primary ovarian cancer may be employed for prognostic purposes.

[Proteolytic lysosomal enzymes in ovarian cancer]. / Proteoliticheskie fermenty lizosom pri rake iaichnikov.

Activity of lysosomal proteinases cathepsins B and D was studied in normal tissues, malignant and benign ovary tumors, in blood sera and ascites fluid of patients with primary ovary cancer. The cathepsin B activity was 12-fold higher in tissues of ovary malignant tumors as compared with that of normal ovary and 6-fold higher -- as compared with tissues of benign tumors. Activation of the enzyme depended directly on the mass of malignant tumors and on the intensity of their penetration into surrounding tissues (uterus, urinary bladder, small pelvic fat) and spreading over peritoneum. Activity of cathepsin D was 2- and 2.6-fold higher in malignant ovary tumors as compared with normal tissue and benign tumors, respectively. The data obtained suggest that estimation of cathepsins B and D activities in bioptic material from ovary tumors might be useful for diagnosis of the disease.

[Placental alkaline phosphatase as a marker of malignant neoplasms]. / Platsentarnaia shchelochnaia fosfataa--marker zlokachestvennykh novoobrazovanii.

Activity of placental alkaline phosphatase (PAP) was studied in blood serum of 53 healthy persons and of 72 oncologic patients, using solid-phase immunoenzymatic analysis with polyclonal antibodies towards PAP. The enzyme was detected both in blood serum of healthy persons and of oncologic patients. The blood serum under study was preheated at 65 degrees in order to inactivate the intestinal phosphatase--the only isoenzyme cross-reacting with antibodies to thermostable PAP. This controlled heating treatment decreased distinctly the possibility of pseudo-positive reactions. The limiting values of the PAP activity were about 0.15 un/L in blood sera of healthy persons. Higher values were considered as an evidence of pathological state. After screening analysis of blood sera from patients with various forms of malignant tumors the PAP activity above 0.15 un/L was observed in 20% of the patients; the enzymatic activity exceeded these values in 54% of patients with ovary carcinoma. The data obtained suggest that the procedure developed as an adequate means for estimation of thermostable PAP isoenzymes as well as that the rate of PAP activity might serve as marker of malignancy in ovary and testis carcinomas independently on level of total activity of alkaline phosphatase.

[Isolation and study of polyadenylated RNA from Bacillus intermedius]. / Vydelenie i izuchenie poliadenilirovannoi RNK iz Bacillus intermedius.

A poly(A)+RNA fraction was isolated from the overall RNA of Bacillus intermedius using chromatography on poly(U) Sepharose and was shown to be electrophoretically heterogeneous. The presence of a polyadenylate segment was confirmed by hybridization with polyuridine. The biological activity of the poly(A)+RNA was proved by the translation in Xenopus laevis oocytes. The dynamics of poly(A)+RNA synthesis was studied in the course of B. intermedius growth and the content of poly(A)+RNA was assayed in the cells grown in different media.